8.4.13

WHY PLY

Happy Monday peeps! Today we're talking Ply. We've covered the basics for this extremely affordable and versatile material and given all you DIY-ers a quick crash course! Read on after the jump... Enjoy!

The Australian building products and surface materials company Gunnersens say it best:

"Made from thin sheets of wood veneer called piles or veneers, plywood is the strongest, lightest, most versatile utility and decorative product made from a renewable resource. Plywood is kilo for kilo stronger than steel (!!), and it was the first type of engineered wood to be invented."

And not to mention... It looks incredible.

This extremely affordable building material is making a huge come back in design; the days of plywood just being used as a structural element are well and truly over... It's raw aesthetic is why it's so sort after.

There are so many types of ply you can use and the thickness varies from super thin sheets of 3mm ply to a thickness of 19 or 25mm; perfect for cabinetry and shop fitting. Sheet sizes are typically 2400 x 1200mm and its lightweight properties make it an easy option for a DIY project!

You can leave it natural, lime-wash it, add a colour wash to it, and if you want a gloss finish you can give it a few good coats with a clear polyurethane finish.

HERE'S OUR PLYWOOD 101:

Exterior and Interior Ply

This ply is what you see in the very top image; it can be used in a non-structural exterior or interior application and has a lovely grain in the ply.

Marine Grade Ply

This ply looks like normal ply, but has a slightly nicer finish as it's your premium option; its waterproof adhesive will resist rotting in high-moisture environments.

Form Ply

This ply is typically used in construction, particularly for use in concrete formwork, but with it's lovely dark veneer face using a high density overlay, this ply is actually quite gorgeous and is perfect for cabinetry and durability.

Plywood Flooring

This is usually a basic tongue and groove flooring system which can create a beautiful seamless industrial look with big wide planks! It's strong and durable and you can change the pattern or cut it as you want!